'96 Hond@ CBR600 - what to look for?

[Tim in Belgium]

Off to look at a '96 Hond@ CBR600 ftomorrow for a mate who has just passed his test (he'll look at it before buying if it's not a dawg).

Apart from the usual tyre/brake/chain things and scratched frame is there anything else I should be looking for on this bike. Owner is claiming 15k miles and 6 owners, which sounds possible, but may be dodgy.

Plowsie, Lozzo, anyone else?

It'll be full power by the way, has a micron can and rear sets fitted.

[Tim in Belgium]

Had a few tips from Lozzo via PM, anyone else got anything to add?

I'm off to see it this afternoon.

[hovis]

please share the tips

(if yuo dont mind, as a mate is also looking for a 600 soon)

[Tim in Belgium]

From Lozzo:

Hi mate,

If it's been standing for a while budget for a new battery and possibly a reg/rec. They don't like being started on low batteries and sometimes fry the reg/rec once started trying to charge it up. Aside from that check the discs for wear and calipers for sticking. Any bike that's been sitting needs a good looking over for corrosion around the rad as well, they're a bit fragile - look for corroded fins, a sure sign it'll blow soon after being used hard. The exhaust downpipes suffer too, and they aren't cheap.

Have a good look over the fairing for panels lining up, they are really tight fit from factory, so easy to spot a bent bracket cos the gaps will open up. it's not easy to hide crash damage despite the massive amounts of bodywork.

Check the usual stuff like bearings and perished rubber stuff as well. I'm not overly keen on older low mileage bikes, they don't usually show signs of being cared for. They're normally used and then put away, used then put away ad infinitum, and because they don't do the miles the owners don't justify service costs.
__________________

And:

Quote:
Originally Posted by Tim in Belgium
PS is there a much of a difference between the different steelie versions?

Cheers,

Tim

Not really that much to be truthful. The last of them are the better handling with a slightly wider rear tyre and a lighter front wheel with semi floating discs. They also got cartridge internals in the forks from 1994. The last of them (1997/9:cool: are the best as they make more power and torque as well as the previous benefits. They also changed the bodywork front and back between F2, F3 models. I have an F3 which has indicators on stalks at the front, not faired in, earlier ones had huge things plonked on each side. As long as it's a 1991 onwards he'll be ok - don't bother with a jelly-mould one because they really are dated now.

[hovis]

thanx........ i would recomend a HPI check too

[rob13]

How much is he wanting to spend Tim?

[Tim in Belgium]

1500-1700 max.

[plowsie]

he can av mine for 1200 then me and quiff can talk LOL.

[plowsie]

Cam chain might be a bit dodgy. Check head bearing obviously. Not really much else than what Lozzo has said.

[ThEGr33k]

he can av mine for 1200 then me and quiff can talk LOL.

What bike you wanting? :confused:


Check for dodgy oil/water mix under the oil filler cap. All the standard things... 2 wheels etc etc. :p

[plowsie]

Quiff's Sv. Just can't seem to click with CBR rightly.

[ThEGr33k]

Quiff's Sv. Just can't seem to click with CBR rightly.


Aye too many cylinders... obviously you must be a Twin man :smt080

[muffles]

I think it's all been covered, from what I gather (at least on mine, which is newer), the reg/rec and downpipes are weak points. Got my reg/rec replaced for about ?30-something I think, not sure what they normally go for as the guy I bought it from paid since I had bought it so recently. And the downpipes cost about ?200 new on Ebay for stainless so they won't rust again.

[Tim in Belgium]

Went for a Fazer in the end, the CBR just didn't add up.

Picking it up for him this afternoon, I will be losing my IL4 bike virginity, wish me luck.

[kwak zzr]

my cbr was bulletproof for 2 years, never had a thing go wrong, it already had the s/steel downpipes fitted when i got her. really good steel frame bike.

[ThEGr33k]

Went for a Fazer in the end, the CBR just didn't add up.

Picking it up for him this afternoon, I will be losing my IL4 bike virginity, wish me luck.

What you recon then? :D

[Tim in Belgium]

Weird!

Goes well when stoked, and docile at low revs, just a bit remote really.

I didn't thrash it too much, mainly due to to all the snow about (and the fact it wasn't mine), but it was definitely quicker than an SV in a straight line. It was also strange riding a bike where you are sat up so much, but all in all not bad.

600 cc and 15k miles for 1250 quid and it was a bit of a steal I think:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=160226546091&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=006

Scott oiler, lowers, polished rims and more importantly, it's black.

[ThEGr33k]

Looks pretty nice! :D